The volume looks INSANE. I will be amazed if I make it through these workouts in their entirety for the first couple of weeks.

I will lift four days per week. The start of my week (Day 1) will be on Wednesday. Ideally, I will lift on Day 1, 3, 5, and 6. This allows me to put two of my harder lifting days on Friday and Sunday when I have more time to train and a better chance of training with a partner. It gives me a little more flexibility for my work week too, in case I have to travel, etc. I've been training alone alot lately, which is quite challenging for powerlifting, so I want to plan on doing as much training as possible on the weekends.

I plan on doing cardio 3-4 times per week separate from the weight training. As part of my cardio workouts, I will also incorporate abs twice a week and plyo exercises at least once a week, twice if my legs can handle it.

The workouts are all based on estimated 1RMs for bench, deadlift, and squat. Every set is a prescribed percentage of the 1RM.

For starters (the first four weeks), I have estimated my 1RMs on the low end because I am still gaining my strength back, it's been several months since I have lifted heavy. My beginning 1RMs will be:BENCH 190SQUAT 225DEADLIFT 260

The numbers may seem low on my squat and deadlift, but the deadlift will go up quickly once I am back into the swing of things. As for the squats, I don't fuck around on squats, I go ASS TO CALVES on every rep, no half-ass squats or anything that isn't well below parallel. I also use a relatively narrow stance...That's why the numbers may seem a little low to some of you out there. I will readjust the 1RMs in a month and continue to do so as I get stronger.

WEDNESDAY JAN 7 is the official "Week 1, Day 1"... I did a "practice workout" last Saturday to see how the volume feels. I didn't even do a full workout, and I can tell you that it's going to be very very challenging. I am still having trouble walking today.

BENCH PRESS. I haven't had my bench shirt on since June 2008 when I did USPF Nationals. Right after Nats, I sent the shirt out to get the seams reinforced and the sleeves tightened. I have a feeling that it's going to be a bitch to work with, especially at my current size. I'll start with it in a few weeks. Last Saturday was the first day that I actually did a bench press since early October. While I was prepping for NPC Nationals, I was training alone and stuck to DBs and the Hammer Strength machines. Bench is my strongest lift by far, and it comes pretty naturally to me, so I don't think it'll take me too long to get back into the swing of things.

DEADLIFT. I haven't deadlifted since early September. Like NOT AT ALL. I hurt my back at USPF Nationals, and it took me a while to recover. I tried DLing once after the North Americans, but it didn't go well, and I didn't want to risk it before NPC Nationals. I am still having some lower back issues, so I have been reluctant to get back into it. I saw my chiro this past week, and I have done some light SLDLs, so I am ready to give it a go and see how it feels.

SQUAT. I took several weeks off from squatting around Nationals and a few weeks after, but I am starting to work through the initial pain of the squat workouts, and I am ready to hit it hard. I am really eager to break in a squat suit and see how much my numbers can improve.

Last year, my best lifts were:Squat. 242 in competition (Raw); 245x2 in the gym (Raw)Deadlift. 303 in competition (Raw)Bench. 237 in competition (shirted), 245 in the gym (shirted)

Yeah, the volume looks totally crazy, should be interesting. And while it's true that you don't do any of the sets up near your max, I would imagine that the 4th or so set at 80% is gonna be a tough when you are trying to get through set #10 or something nutty like that! I looked at the numbers for tomorrow, and the squat sets are looking a bit daunting even though I know I can squat more than the amount prescribed in the workout!

I took yesterday OFF and am going to just do some cardio and maybe a light ab workout tonight...still sore from Sat and trying to get ready to start tomorrow.

I am like a kid waiting for Christmas... I haven't been this excited about training in a looooong time. It's awesome to look forward to going to the gym again!

Yeah, the volume looks totally crazy, should be interesting. And while it's true that you don't do any of the sets up near your max, I would imagine that the 4th or so set at 80% is gonna be a tough when you are trying to get through set #10 or something nutty like that! I looked at the numbers for tomorrow, and the squat sets are looking a bit daunting even though I know I can squat more than the amount prescribed in the workout!

ahahahaa, yes. dear god. the worst is when the workout goes (squat doubles) (bench) (squat sets of four). look at friday in week two (remember they have it REPSxSETS so 2x5 means 2 reps for five sets!!) for example. those first five doubles are brutal, but by the time you get to the four sets of four you just wanna take a nap.

the thing with sheiko though is it teaches you how to do each lift so consistently you can do it in your sleep. you'll feel so confident getting under 80% of your max it won't even phase you.

ahahahaa, yes. dear god. the worst is when the workout goes (squat doubles) (bench) (squat sets of four). look at friday in week two (remember they have it REPSxSETS so 2x5 means 2 reps for five sets!!) for example. those first five doubles are brutal, but by the time you get to the four sets of four you just wanna take a nap.

the thing with sheiko though is it teaches you how to do each lift so consistently you can do it in your sleep. you'll feel so confident getting under 80% of your max it won't even phase you.

Today it starts... and that's pretty much how the first workout is gonna go according to the layout I am following. Yikes hahaha. Friday in week 3 has squat sets of 5/4/3/2 (bench) and then squat sets of 6.

It's almost like strength conditioning...alot of GPP, I should be in fantastic shape a few months into this!

It wasn't that bad at all! I may change my mind about that over the next 48 hours.

I'm feeling pretty good about my squatting, I was surprised to make it through those last 5 sets. I haven't been on the bench in a long time, though, and I feel very stiff and out of practice. I need to start stretching my back and legs alot!! I was kinda squirrelly. I need to work on my breathing too.

I must have still been buzzing from the workout or something yesterday morning when I said I felt pretty good... the DOMS set in about 1/2 way through the afternoon. Everything from my ribcage to my knees hurts! Just in time for a deadlift workout tonight!

Last night was some recovery - 45 minutes on the elliptical and a bunch of stretching. I was gonna do abs, but I can't believe how super sore my abs and obliques are from the squatting on Weds. so I skipped them last night.